Supervisor Katie Rice, attempting to rebuff reports of what she called "phantom housing" in Kentfield, said "rumor and speculation" fuel fears of development in Kentfield.

At the same time, a coalition of activists issued a press release condemning Rice for pulling out of a housing meeting Saturday attended by a crowd at the Marin Art and Garden Center that spilled outside to the patio. Several hundred people attended the session, according to taxpayer activist Basia Crane.

Rice, who skipped the session because she feared it would wind up as a debate between her and Plan Bay Area housing policy foe Bob Silvestri, noted she will hold a meeting on housing, development and land use at 10 a.m. April 26 at Bacich School. Meanwhile, she spoke out at the county board meeting Tuesday.

"Residents are concerned about potential future development in Kentfield," she said. "That concern is being fueled by rumor and speculation stated as fact, that there are 'high density' multiunit housing projects a la Wincup planned for the Kentfield area," she added. "These rumors are just that — rumors."

She said that "there is no housing planned for the Sloat nursery site, there is no massive housing project planned on College of Marin," or on sites along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in the area.

A press release attributed to Crane said some people at Saturday's meeting in Kentfield were so angry there were "demands for Ms. Rice's recall."